Throughout my life, I have always enjoyed using my talents and time to serve others. During and after college, I do not intend to stop! I hope to attend law school and then begin serving my community through my involvement in government. After receiving my law degree, I intend to practice family law; seeking to reunite families and above all, ensure the well-being of children. I was first inspired to choose this path my junior year when my family began fostering a 2 year old girl. This little girl quickly became a large part of my life and changed the way I think about families. Zelda Mae, a foster child since she was 6 months old, had been passed through 3 different homes by the time she reached my family. Thankfully, Zellie was adopted by a distant family member this past December. Watching her be loved and accepted by her forever family, while difficult for me to accept, was a truly beautiful thing. Now, three months later, as my family continues to host respite care for more foster children, my resolve to contribute to the lives of other families has only increased. A little over a month ago, I was given the opportunity to shadow a judge for a day. Honorable Jody Luebbers of the Hamilton County Common Pleas Court allowed me to sit in on her docket and experience day to day happenings. The day that I spent with her truly solidified my desire to become a lawyer. As I watched people who committed crimes be filed into that courtroom I began to understand how blessed I am. After experiencing firsthand how the US foster care system can affect a child and witnessing the effects a poor environment can have on a person's future I’ve been inspired to pursue a career in family law. I’m aware that working in family law can be difficult, especially when it comes to handling divorce cases, custody battles, and domestic violence. However, I believe that I have the strength and determination to push through the emotionally difficult times in order to have a lasting impact on people’s lives. Whether working as a judge or an attorney, I plan to base all my decisions on the best interest of each child. While separation can be difficult for everyone involved sometimes, as in the case of Zellie, the safest and happiest situation for the child is to remove them from their biological family. The career I aspire to pursue will positively change the lives of the families that come to me.

For the longest time, I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life. It wasn’t until my sophomore year of high school that I really started to take an interest in government. My first AP class was US Government & Politics and I absolutely loved it. I even decided to take additional summer courses at Ashland University that went in-depth on the Supreme Court and government policies. I was lucky enough to have that same AP Gov teacher who inspired my love in the first place, my junior year as my AP US History teacher. That year I joined my school’s mock trial team and was selected to be one of eight attorneys arguing that year’s case. After all the enjoyment I found in my social studies classes and extracurriculars I have decided to pursue a career in government as a lawyer. I plan to attend law school after college and join a practice, preferably close to home near my friends and family. Long before I realized my interest in government and the Constitution I had a love of justice and fairness. I often argued with friends and family over the morality and constitutionality of certain laws or policies. Once I have my law degree I intend to help those that other practices refuse to help. I’ve always taken pride in defending my beliefs and those who can’t help themselves so I know that taking on the “hopeless” cases will give me a sense of purpose. Throughout my years at high school, I’ve been a board member, now president, of our Pro-Life club. Defending the innocent, the unborn who cannot speak for themselves has given me so much fulfillment! I will never stop defending the dignity of every life: mother and child. I’d like to think that I will defend my clients with the same passion and dedication regardless of the probability of winning a case. Although I love public speaking I’d be content and have just as much of an impact, doing behind-the-scenes work. The passion and justice that fuels my participation in Pro-Life and human rights organizations is also responsible for my stance on bullying. I was fortunate enough to never have experienced direct bullying, but I've seen the effects it can have on a person. Through the retreats I've attended in high school I've learned so much about what goes on behind closed doors. People very rarely share what pain they are going through. That's why I make it a point to check up on people. I'm constantly asking how someone's life is going, even if I don't specifically notice anything wrong about their persona. Through different clubs at my school, such as StrongHer and Seton Helping Saints, I've been able to support the girls in my community.

Writing has been the easiest way, I have found, to change yourself. Over the years, I have turned to my many journals, each of which I began but never finished, to write anything and everything. I love how free writing is. There is no limit to what you can write, how much you write, where you do it, or to whom you do it, and no one ever has to know why you are doing it. You are the one filling the page. I find writing a paper or story is much less intimidating than drawing a picture or painting on a canvas. The idea is essentially the same: a blank slate ready to absorb your mind. However, writing provides the little bit of structure I need in my life. It’s freeing while still giving you the option to follow a structured outline. Grammar, spelling, paragraphs, and punctuation funnel ideas into an organized block of text. Writing has been the best way to remember. I have found that I have a horrible memory and often forget things. Not just definitions and school-related topics, but memories. I lose people's names constantly, and oftentimes, not even a photograph has the power to jog my memory. Because of this, I have turned to writing. I journal as often as possible, always beginning with the date and where I am, in the hopes of locking in anything that may be important to me. My entries are not always sophisticated, sometimes not even a complete sentence, but merely a thought. That is another aspect of journaling that I love: you are your only critic. These are my ideas and memories. Unless I choose to share them with someone else, I don't worry about what other people would think if they read them. The closer college gets, the more I have begun to realize how important writing is to me and how blessed I am to have this gift. My writing skills have allowed me to flourish in my classes and complete many essays for scholarships. I plan to continue journaling as I have been when I leave for college. My great-grandmother has asked me to write to her, as old-fashioned as that sounds, when I'm in college. We've been pen pals before, and I can't wait to start doing it again because I know how much joy it brings her to read a handwritten letter.  On the less personal side, writing will push me through college as I use the skills I've built up to write essays and presentations. I’ll be able to excel in my courses because of how I express myself and convey ideas through words. Writing is a skill that develops through practice. By continuing to write in college and beyond I know I’ll be able to succeed in both my professional and personal life.

“She snatched her head away from the spectacle and began muttering to herself. “They oughta be shamed uh themselves! Teasin’ dat poor brute beast lak they is! Done been worked tuh death; done had his disposition ruint wid mistreatment, and now they got tuh finish devilin’ ‘im tuh death. Wisht Ah had mah way wid’ em ali.” Their Eyes Were Watching God is the retelling of Janie’s life by Janie herself. Hurston uses vivid imagery throughout the novel to demonstrate the complexity of Janie's thoughts. The beauty of these thoughts shows her true value. The mule scene, however, shows the minimal value that people believe Janie holds. The writing style makes it easy for readers to identify the differences between Janie’s mind and her words. That, combined with the symbolism of the mule scene in chapter 6 and the specific point of view used by Hurston, allows readers to identify the theme. This novel shows that a person’s intellect can be hidden and unrecognized, even by the person themselves, only to be discovered through personal growth. Their Eyes Were Watching God demonstrates the theme through the mule scene and the point of view in which the book was written. The Mule scene in chapter 6 demonstrates the value, or lack thereof, that Joe and others believe that Janie holds. The buying and freeing of the mule seems to be a very odd addition for the narrator to include. However, in doing so, the mule is given a prime spot in the novel and elevated to some degree, above Janie. As Janie watches the poor animal get mistreated and overworked she sympathizes with the beast. The words Janie uses guide the readers in seeing the comparison between Janie and the mule. Janie’s life is very similar to that of the poor mule: “Done been worked tuh death; done had his disposition ruint wid mistreatment, and now they got tuh finished devilin’ ‘im tuh death” (56). While a hard-working animal is valuable, once it becomes too old to work or too hard on the eyes its value drops and can easily be replaced. Janie is viewed in much the same light. As time goes on her beauty and usefulness fade and Joe thinks her value fades with them. Even with all the similarities that Janie and the mule share, it is clear that Joe values one above the other. Joe’s action of buying the mule simply to free it shows that he holds more value and appreciation for an old mule than his wife. “Didn’t buy ‘im fuh no work. I god, Ah bought dat vermin tuh let ‘im rest” (58). Joe proclaims this and in doing so proves the lack of value he holds in Janie. His wife has lost her beauty, her youth, her usefulness, and provided no children. Therefore, in Joe’s eyes, she is worthless. The mule is essentially useless as well, however, Joe cares enough for him to make the rest of his life peaceful. He feels as though the mule has earned it. Because everyone around her believes her to hold no value, Janie takes on those same beliefs: that she is useless, and her thoughts and words are unintelligent. She cannot recognize the beauty within her because of the influence of the outside world. Without the mule scene, readers would not be able to compare the true value of Janie to the value assigned to her by the world and the connection between recognizing one’s own intellect would be lost. The point of view in Their Eyes Were Watching God is third person, which allows readers to see inside Janie’s mind, read her thoughts, and compare them to her words. Through this point of view, the theme of hidden intellect is demonstrated. As Janie retells her life story there is a sharp contrast between the narrative voice of Janie and the physical words she uses when she speaks to others. The point of view gives readers a glimpse into Janie’s mind thus disclosing her hidden intellect. The point of view used also allows the reader to see the personal growth of Janie. When considering the mule Janie uses sophisticated words such as “spectacle” and later on in the scene, “regard”. In her mind, Janie speaks fluidly and phrases like “A little war of defense for helpless things was going on inside her” are formed. However, when she speaks and tries to verbalize these thoughts her words turn simple and ignorant. The book follows Janie’s journey to find the value in her voice and the point of view makes it easy for readers to see the potential of Janie. Janie finally gives voice to her intricate thoughts at the end of the novel. The words she chooses to speak are very similar to the beautiful thoughts she has had throughout the book. The third-person point of view allows readers to see those original beautiful thoughts and now makes her speech all the more impactful. She says, “Love is like de sea. It’s uh movin’ thing, but still and all, it takes its shape from de shore it meets, and it’s different with every shore” (191). This quote is proof that Janie has grown and now recognizes her own intellect and power. She is no longer afraid to speak her mind. Without the third-person point of view, readers would not be able to see the beauty of Janie’s mind nor be able to compare it to the sparse and dull words that she chooses to say. Janie's power comes from within, from her voice. It is only when she finally speaks up that she gains power over herself and refuses to let others control her life and opinions. Their Eyes Were Watching God is a novel about growth and self-discovery. Janie is discovering where her power comes from and the true value she holds. The mule scene gives a glimpse into the life of Janie and provides understanding as to why she was hesitant to accept her own value. Disappointment and underappreciation from others were crucial in tearing down her self-esteem as evident throughout this scene. Finally, the point of view allows the reader to compare Janie's thoughts and words to each other throughout the whole novel. It shows how Janie's value and true beauty were there from the very beginning, only unrecognized by Janie. Hurston used all three to portray the theme that intellect can be hidden and unrecognized, and only discovered through growth. It is clear that Janie experienced her growth and found herself.

For the longest time, I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life. It wasn’t until my sophomore year of high school that I really started to take an interest in government. My first AP class was US Government & Politics and I absolutely loved it. I even decided to take additional summer courses at Ashland University that went in-depth on the Supreme Court and government policies. I was lucky enough to have that same AP Gov teacher who inspired my love in the first place, my junior year as my AP US History teacher. That year I joined my school’s mock trial team and was selected to be one of eight attorneys arguing that year’s case. After all the enjoyment I found in my social studies classes and extracurriculars I have decided to pursue a career in government as a lawyer. I plan to attend law school after college and join a practice, preferably close to home near my friends and family. Long before I realized my interest in government and the Constitution I had a love of justice and fairness. I often argued with friends and family over the morality and constitutionality of certain laws or policies. Once I have my law degree I intend to help those that other practices refuse to help. I’ve always taken pride in defending my beliefs and those who can’t help themselves so I know that taking on the “hopeless” cases will give me a sense of purpose. Throughout my years at high school, I’ve been a board member, now president, of our Pro-Life club. Defending the innocent, the unborn who cannot speak for themselves has given me so much fulfillment! I will never stop defending the dignity of every life: mother and child. I’d like to think that I will defend my clients with the same passion and dedication regardless of the probability of winning a case. Although I love public speaking I’d be content, and have just as much of an impact, doing behind-the-scenes work. Analyzing documents, gathering witnesses, and building the case are just as important as the trial itself. Regardless of where I am, behind the desk or in front of the judge, I understand that a trial is about the client. Their needs come first and I cannot wait to begin protecting citizens and upholding the Constitution.

During my grade school years, I hated my math classes because of the teaching methods used in the classroom. I was only ever taught formulas and what the answer was, rather than how that answer came to be. In my freshman year of high school, I had my first math teacher who focused on the origin of formulas and the thought process behind their creation. I struggled with memorizing equations and things like that so, understanding the methods and reasoning behind their creation truly allowed me to flourish in math. Now in my senior year, I've been lucky enough to experience math teachers all four years who think and teach the same way my freshman honors Algebra 1 teacher did. I love math because it pulls critical thinking and problem-solving skills together. When asked to solve an equation your mind uses multiple parts of the brain. It’s gratifying to know that even though this formula may have already been discovered, I am continuing to discover new answers every time I plug in a new variable, adjust the length of something, or add another factor. Math is both consistent and ever-changing, allowing its users to participate continually as new ideas are discovered.